Harnessing the Power of English Proficiency: A Disaster or Blessing for Filipino Workers?

It started with the money, which was one of the most influential things that all of the people wanted to have. Having a good, decent, and high-paying job has been a dream come true for most people. It will sound hypocritical if someone tells you that happiness is the only thing that matters to them. But in reality, what matters most is the money that results in a convenient and stress-free life. Unfortunately, living in a country where high-paying jobs don't exist, where many people are still dependent and forcing themselves into low-income jobs, and where capitalism has ruled the job industry, the Filipinos have been having a very hard time trying to find a perfect job that doesn't only suit the profit they want but also the capabilities and abilities they have.

"Why are Filipinos often accepted for call center jobs?" If someone asks this question, it will be triggering for many Filipinos. A lot of the so-called-proud Filipinos will defend how their Kababayans have been very fluent and talented in speaking English. They will give you links that will direct you to different articles and videos and will show how ignorant you are for not knowing how many Filipinos have been accepted into English-speaking jobs. Precisely, Filipinos are known for being good speakers of English because they were colonised by the Americans. Their influence played a significant role in shaping the English proficiency level of Filipinos. Mostly of schools and educational materials in the Philippines were predominantly in English. This exposure to the language from an early age allowed Filipinos to develop a solid foundation in English. Furthermore, the American occupation brought with it a cultural exchange between the United States and the Philippines. This exchange allowed for the assimilation of American customs, traditions, and language. English became a means of communication between American military personnel and the local population, leading to increased familiarity and usage of the language. And because Filipinos also like to support western movies, singers, and even books, most of them are actually fluent and can speak with foreign people easily and clearly using the said language. 

Almost half of the population in the Philippines are competent with the English language. The last poll that was conducted by Social Weather Stations survey was on March 26 to 2029, 2023. It shows that 47% of Filipinos have the ability to think in English, 80% of them understand the language, while 55% can speak the language. Around only 9% do not apply any of these skills. According to Nakahara's research, over 80% of the 102 Filipino respondents used English mostly in their work fields, such as meetings, conversations with colleagues, emails to colleagues, company documents, negotiations with business partners, emails to business partners, and documents for business partners. A lot of Filipinos are unemployed due to not being able to speak English,  this also affects the economic growth of the Philippines. There's a quote that says, "English is like, if you speak it, then you can get a job in any country," but does it also apply to those unfortunate people inside their own country? The unemployment rate in the Philippines is influenced by these main factors, such as education background, skills, and English proficiency. Unfortunately, for many Filipinos, the language barrier becomes a hindrance to having a job. They might be talented professionals with basic English knowledge, but despite their outstanding qualifications, the employer may still choose not to hire them due to their inadequate English proficiency.  

Gerry Rose F. Legaspi, 32, was one of the Filipinos who shared this concern. As someone who started working at an early age, it's understandable that she'd be rejected because of her educational background. She only finished high school and began working afterward to support her first child. She confesses that it is quite difficult because she has previously worked two to three jobs in one day. “Mahirap kasi nagbabantay ako sa karinderya ng biyenan ko sa umaga, tapos sa tanghali naman pagkatapos mag-tanghalian, tutulong sa paggawa ng mga bracelet beads, tapos sa gabi ay janitress (It's hard because in the morning, I work at a cafeteria that was owned by my mother-in-law, then after I eat lunch, I will help with bracelet beads, and at night, I will work as a janitress.)”  But when she got the opportunity to enroll in a technical vocational course at Xavier Technical Training Center with a diploma in Computer Science, she worked hard to study and graduated as one of the outstanding enrollees of the batch. “Ginalingan ko talaga nung nag-enroll ako ron, hindi lang kasi puro kompyuter `yung tinuturo samin, may isa kaming subject na nag-eenglish kami at ang weird dahil iyon ang mas nagustuhan ko (I did my best when I got enrolled there, however, we didn`t only learn how to use computers, we also had one subject where we learned how to speak English. It's weird, but I did enjoy that one the most.) 

She began looking for work after graduating, using Facebook. She tried scrolling through many job groups and asked them about their requirements; fortunately, one employer from a call center job contacted her. “Pagpunta ko `ron sa site kung saan i-interviewhin ako, nakita ko na ang daming aplikante na naka-formal attire, samnatalang ako `yung damit ko lang ay polo-shirt na puti at pantalon na fitted, naka-rubber shoes pa nga ako, pero sila ang tataas ng heels, naka-gel ang buhok, `yung sapatos halata mong kakalagay lang ng shoe polish, basta halata mong mga professionals. (When I arrived at the site where I would be interviewed, I noticed that many of the other applicants were dressed formally, whereas I was dressed casually in a white polo shirt, fitting jeans, and rubber shoes. They are dressed professionally, with high heels, gelled hair, and their shoes are obviously fresh from shoe polishing.) The interview has not yet started, but she felt intimidated and insecure. When the employer started to call their names, she felt something she had never felt before; her stomach turned, and the butterflies started dancing. When it was her turn, she was first asked by the employer if she could speak English. “Tinanong niya ako kung marunong ba ako mag-english, ang sagot ko naman ay “A little bit, Ma`am” tapos parang natatawa siya tapos tumingin ulit sa resume ko, naiilang na ako at parang napapahiya tapos maya-maya sabi niya na “we can`t accept someone like you because we think you are not ready for this” (The employer asked me if I could speak English. I answered her, "A little bit, ma'am." Then she looked like she was actually laughing, and she looked again at my resume. I felt uncomfortable and shy, and later on she told me, “We can`t accept someone like you because we think you are not ready for this.”) 

After being rejected from the job she was supposed to earn, she experienced low confidence because someone rejected her due to her basic skills in English. “Masakit syempre, sa totoo lang proud nga ako nun` kase may tinapos ako kahit tech-voc lang pero marami kase ang magagaling doon, damit pa nga lang nila walang-wala na ako, pero siguro kung isa ako sakanila, pipiliin din nila ako. (It is truly hurting me. To be honest, I'm very proud that time because I studied, even though it was simply a technical vocational course, but all of the prospective employees there are far superior. Their attires is considerably better than mine. Perhaps if I'm one of them, they will also choose me.)”

Another experience from this matter was shared by Hazeline Soriano. A 24-year-old aspiring English teacher from Bulacan State University-Sarmiento Campus. She said that she and her friends started to find a job to support their studies, especially in the pandemic era where a lot of people have experienced hardships on an everyday basis, such as necessities, money, and resources. “Actually, I'm with my friends at that moment. We tried to apply because someone told us that the company does not require fluency (in English). So we were surprised when we heard our co-applicants speaking fluently (in English). So, yes. Until now, remembering that made me feel uneasy. The reality that I am not very good at English hits me hard.” She also shares that she felt intimidated and insecure at that time. “Yes. Aside from insecurity, I felt intimidated. Because the interviewer appears to be thinking, what the hell am I doing in that room?” She ended her statement saying, “If jobs just let people with necessary skills take a position in their company than people speaking English fluently, maybe we can have a lot of employees now and unemployment will not rise again.”

Maybe this cannot happen if we don't use English as the basis for how we look at different people. Maybe the unemployment rate in the Philippines due to English proficiency will not rise as it is used as a standard for accepting an employee, and maybe this concern will not make other people doubt and feel embarrassed about themselves. We often have a better sight and view of the universal language, but we don't see how it can affect other people in a negative way. Those people who are trying their best to live in a society where they have to deal with double standards. These people only wanted to survive on an everyday basis. We can say that they can just learn English and try to make an effort for them to be chosen for the jobs they need; they can only wish. In a country like the Philippines, learning is much more expensive than the salary you will get after graduating. But money is the king. It is a dream. It dominates everyone. In a society where poverty and hunger are dominant, we cannot blame the Filipinos for finding a job, even though they know for themselves that jobs require an English-speaking worker. And this is the reality: if we are not one of them, they will not choose us.

REFERENCES & SOURCES:

SWS: 47% of Filipinos ‘competent’ with English language | Philippine News Agency (pna.gov.ph)

Arcandi, J. L., & Grin, F. (2013). Language in economic development: Is English special and is linguistics fragmentation bad? In E. Erling & P. Seargeant (Eds.), English and development: Policy, pedagogy and globalization (pp. 243–266). Bristol, UK: Multilingual Matters.

Burton, L. A. (2013). Mother tongue-based multilingual education in the Philippines: Studying top-down policy implementation from the bottom up [Unpublished doctoral dissertation]. University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, U.S.A.

Chavez, A. (2014, January 10). What Asia can learn from Philippines about English education. Huffington Post.

Cabigon, M. (2015). State of English in the Philippines: Should We Be Concerned? British Council.

NZ Projects Lower Inflation, Key GDP Data from, Swiss, and U.S.

Early this morning, New Zealand’s Budget Release included important comments from Finance Minister Nicola Willis. She mentioned that the Treasury expects inflation to drop below 3% by the third quarter of 2024 and to around 2% by 2026. Moreover, the Treasury predicts a GDP decline in the first half of 2024, followed by growth in the second half of the year. Key GDP Data At 8:00 AM, Switzerland…

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Shh. You’re not supposed to pay attention to that! Part-time jobs that don’t pay a living wage and government jobs? No, you’re supposed to think the private sector is churnin’ and burnin’ with full-time roles and if you’re unemployed, well, it’s your own damn fault.

The Impact of Non-Farm Employment and Unemployment Data on Bitcoin and Altcoins

In today's dynamic financial landscape, economic data from influential economies like the USA can significantly affect cryptocurrency prices, especially for Bitcoin and altcoins. Understanding the impact of non-farm employment and unemployment data on the crypto market is crucial for informed decision-making by traders and investors. Let's explore this intriguing relationship between traditional economic indicators and the world of cryptocurrencies.

The Impact of Non-Farm Employment and Unemployment Data on Bitcoin and Altcoins

Bitcoin's battle to maintain its position at $29,000 has attracted attention, but the focus of investors and interested parties has turned towards the economic data released by the USA today. Understanding the State of the Economy: Key Data Disclosed On the first Friday of every month, the release of economic data is closely monitored to gauge the state of the economy. The data unveiled today is as follows: - Non-Farm Employment Data - Expected: 200k - Previous: 185k - Disclosed: 187k - Unemployment Data - Expected: 3.6% - Previous: 3.6% - Disclosed: 3.5% How Non-Farm Employment Data Affects the Market The non-farm employment data exceeding expectations signals a potential economic recovery, and this positive effect ripples through the currency market. The Federal Reserve (FED) closely monitors changes in the labor market as it plays a crucial role in determining the central bank's monetary policy. The FED believes that the labor market, along with falling inflation, needs to stabilize. Therefore, it keeps a watchful eye on employment data. Considering the impact of the banking crisis, any indication of slowing down interest rate hikes may favor risky assets, particularly with lower inflation and employment data. The Ripple Effect on Bitcoin and the Dollar Index (DXY) When the announced data surpasses expectations, the dollar index (DXY) tends to rise while Bitcoin experiences a minor pullback. Conversely, if the data falls below expectations, DXY may see a pullback. A rise in the unemployment rate can lead to a sharp pullback in DXY, which, in turn, becomes a positive factor for Bitcoin. During the minutes when the data is released, both scenarios result in high volatility in the market. Key Takeaways for Investors For investors and traders, closely monitoring these economic indicators is essential. Non-farm employment data, as well as unemployment figures, can significantly sway the market sentiment. Understanding these trends can help make informed decisions. As the market reacts to economic data, investors should keep in mind that Bitcoin and altcoins are influenced by a variety of factors, including macroeconomic trends.

Conclusion

The economic data coming from the USA has a significant impact on the prices of Bitcoin and altcoins. The non-farm employment data is a vital indication of possible economic recovery, which affects the currency market and, in turn, affects Bitcoin's performance. Furthermore, fluctuations in the unemployment rate have consequences for both the dollar index and Bitcoin. Investors and traders must thoroughly analyze these indicators to navigate the market successfully, especially during data releases when there is high volatility. For more articles visit: Cryptotechnews24 Source: en.bitcoinsistemi.com

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